Bier.



No. 638,075. Patented mw. 2s, |899. .1. A. sT. JEAN'.

BIER.

(Application led May 4. 1899.)

-(No Model.)

Gnou Iman we nomas usas co. Won-x mw.. wnmumou. o. c

UNITED STATES PATENT kOFFICE. i

JOSEPH A. ST. JEAN, OF OHEBOYGAN, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TOPHEAT'I L. MILLEN, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

BIER..

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 638,075, dated November28, 1899.

Application filed May 4,1899. Serial No. '715,595- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JosEPH A. ST. JEAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Oheboygan, in the county of Cheboygan and State of Michigan,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Biers and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to biers and the object in view is to provide aconvenient and efticient means for lifting and transporting coftins,caskets, or the like, enabling the pallbearers to be located at the endsof the casket instead of along the sides thereof, which is oftenimpracticable in narrow hallways, &c.

The detailed objects and advantages of the invention will more fullyappear in the course of the subjoined description.

The invention consists in a bier embodying certain novel features anddetails of construction and arrangement of parts, whereby the bier isadaptable to caskets of different sizes, as hereinafterfully set forth,illustrated in the drawings, and incorporated in the claims heretoappended.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view showing thebier applied to a casket. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the bier detached.Fig. 3 is abottom perspective View of one end of the casket, showing aslightlydifferent form of handle. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of amodified form of bier. Fig. 5 is a detail longitudinal section throughthe handle.

Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in al1 thefigures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, 1 and 2 designate a pair of substantially U-shaped frames, consisting, respectively, of an inner or lowertransverse bar 3 and parallel side bars 4, bent to form horizontalportions 5 and upwardlyinclined end portions 6, connectedby offsets orsubstantially vertical or slightly-inclined connecting portions 7. Theside bars 4 are connected just beyond the offsets 7 by a transverse bar8, designed to bear against the end of the casket and form alimiting-stop, and the terminals of the side bars are formed into eyesor sleeves 9, through which is inserted a handle-bar 10, which may beeither solid or tubular. The-lower bars are provided adjacent to theiropposite ends with loops 11, through which adjusting-straps 12 pass,said straps being provided with buckles, whereby they may be lengthenedand shortened for adapting the bier as a whole to be applied to casketsof different lengths.

In use the horizontal or inner portions of the two inner frames, whichare connected by the adjusting-straps, are passed under the casket, andby slightly lifting the handles the stop or limiting cross-bars arebrought into contactwith the ends of the casket. By now lifting upon thehandles the casket will be raised and may be conveniently carried by twoor more persons standing at each end of the casket.

The handles 10 may be composed of a rod 14., haying threaded ends toreceive handles 15, and the rod 14 may be passed through the sleeves atthe terminals of the side bars of the frames and the handles 15 beapplied to the projecting ends thereof. Encircling the rod 14., betweenthe side bars, is a sleeve 16 of rubber. This form of handle isespecially adapted to the construction illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, inwhich the side bars are curved, as indicated at 17, so as to bring thehandle or central portion of the handle in contact with the end of thecasket. By said construction the rubber sleeves 16 will bear against thecasket, thus preventing noise and injury to the casket. In theconstructions illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 the stop or limitingcross-bar S may also be covered by a rubber sleeve for a purpose similarto that just hereinabove described.

.From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a simplecarrying device for caskets by means of which the casket may be conveyedalong a narrow passage-way or down a narrow stairway by persons locatedat each end thereof.

I do not desire to be limited to the exact details of constructionhereinabove shown and described, but reserve to myself the right tochange, modify, or vary the construction within the scope of theinvention.

Having thus described the invention, what IOO is claimed as neW, anddesired to be secured by Letters Patent, is

and cross-bars, of means for detachably securing the handles to the sideframe-bars, and an adjustable and iexible longitudinal connectionbetween said frames, substantially as described.

2. In a bier, the combination With a pair of rectangular end framesembodying horizontal cross-bars and side bars having horizontal andupwardly-inclined portions terminating in end sleeves, of detachablehandles connected With said frame-sleeves, and flexible longitudinally-extensible connections between said frames, substantially asdescribed.

3. In a bier, the combination with a pair of substantially rectangularframes comprising side bars connected by cross-bars, of loops at theopposite ends of one of the cross-bars,

stop or limiting cross-bars connecting the side bars at pointsintermediate the ends of the latter, sleeves at the ends of the sidebars, handles inserted therein,and detachable andlongitudinally-extensible connections between the two frames, passingthrough said loops, substantially as described.

4. In a bierfa pair of end frames and longitudinally-extensibleconnections between the same, in combination with handle-bars connectedto said end frames, and flexible sleeves surrounding the handle-bars anddesigned to bear against the ends of the casket, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.A

JOSEPH A. ST. JEAN.

Witnesses:

SIMON Ron, WM. N. CRoss.

